


feelings? whomst?

by celebreultimaverba



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: (they is a singular pronoun and I know how to use it promise), Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff, MC is gender neutral, Slow Burn, basically mc is a big meme and so is seven they are perfect for each other, buckle the fuck up for those 3 am memes, not pictured in any scene: the fact that in this au seven is wearing booty shorts no matter what, oh yeah kiddos this is gonna be shameless and fluffy because i'm not even writing for myself, saeyoung has Got You Covered
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-05 15:22:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12192510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celebreultimaverba/pseuds/celebreultimaverba
Summary: It's Saeyoung Choi's second year of college, and that would be fine, except he has aslightproblem. Their name is MC, and they are perfect.Not that he'd ever admit that, because, you know, feelings aren't really for him. There are various reasons for that.The fact that he's jealous of Zen has nothing to do with anything. He just needs to stop flirting with certain people, is all.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my amazing sibling, who will hopefully like this first installment in what I hope to be a multi-chaptered endeavor! Posted while they are asleep so they can wake up to a surprise, but I will link them if they say that's all good! If not, all you others, meme responsibly.

It was cold as fuck.

It _shouldn’t_ have been cold as fuck, because it wasn’t that late in the year, just October, and it wasn’t all that cold inside the dorm building, but it was cold as fuck _outside_ it and something tells MC that they should have grabbed at least the comforter off their bed as they made their sleepy way out of the building. But they didn’t, and now it was cold as fuck and their roommate didn’t even sympathize with them because she was smart and slept in proper flannel pajamas and not a tank top and boy shorts. At least it was a decent outfit for getting frozen to death in. Their hair could look worse.

Luciel Choi, Hacker Extraordinaire except-not-really-because-that’s-illegal was not quite privy to all of these musings, but, it wasn’t too difficult to pick up on the “cold as fuck” part. Even trying not to let their teeth chatter, it was still fairly easy to see from their shifting feet and rubbing their upper arms that they were, in fact, cold as fuck.

Which, really, gives him the perfect excuse to go over. When the fire alarm went off, he wasn’t technically asleep. Or, at least he probably couldn’t be classified as asleep, because he was still sitting upright at his desk. He _felt_ asleep, but…

Wait, no, other things to focus on. Cold person. Cute person. He can help. Or, at least, he _would_ be helping if Zen weren’t so… how he is. Seven loves him, really, wouldn’t have requested him for his second year roommate if he didn’t (and then when he didn’t get his request, hacked into the system and changed it, but that definitely never happened because no one can prove it) but damn the man can talk.

“Be a gentleman, dude! I mean, it would be best if you had a rose or something, too… Actually, maybe we can find one. I’m sure I still have a bouquet in our room from my last show, probably. Do you think they’d let me back in to get them? Probably not, but it’d be nice to have them…”

It’s half annoyance with Zen and half his _own_ damn chivalry that has him striding over to the badly dressed (for the weather, the look itself isn’t bad, though Seven definitely isn’t thinking about that, not at _all)_ person nearby, quietly complaining to their roommate about the cold. Their roommate looks a little smug, though she’s wearing proper pajamas that clearly aren’t so miserable in the cold as a tank top.

“Hey, are you cold?” he asks, and almost dies when MC looks up at him. He doesn’t, and thinks it should be treated as a personal victory.

“What? Oh. Yeah, it’s just, colder than it was inside. I mean, obviously,” they reply, looking to their roommate. “And since this bitch won’t give me the clothes off her back I guess I’m doomed to die.”

Seven can’t help it, he snickers. “I mean, not necessarily. I wanted to ask, uh, here, just…” he trails off, slipping his coat off. It leaves him in a long-sleeved t-shirt—not the warmest thing he could be wearing underneath, but certainly better than a tank top. He offers it out. “Since you’re cold.”

MC is replying, “No, no, this is too nice, I don’t want to take your coat,” even as they take it and put it on, and Seven grins at them, privately giving himself Gentleman Points. Maybe he should start a competition with Zen, but then again, his roommate would probably give himself too many points for things that didn’t even count as points because it’s not a Gentleman Move to open doors, it’s just kinda polite, and, oh.

Right, other people.

“Hey, it’s not a problem!” he chirps, holding out his arms. “Long sleeves. If someone can actually get a use out of that jacket, then good for them! God Seven to the rescue!” He chuckles, mostly because, oh, right, that’s, like, not a normal thing, to call oneself a god. Zen gets it but Zen does the same thing, so.

But MC laughs, miming praying and making little nod-bows to him. “If that’s the case… Thank you, God Seven, for the warmth!”

They share a laugh and Seven only marvels a little bit that he was actually understood—not only understood, but _found funny_ by this person. It’s a little bit of a different experience for him. There’s a reason he doesn’t have many friends outside RFA, and it’s not because he doesn’t talk to people.

“No, seriously, thank you. You just made me having to get out of bed at 3 AM a little bit easier,” MC says, and Seven imagines his grin splitting him in half. “Why do you think we had to evacuate? I know that was the fire alarm, but I didn’t notice anything wrong, did you?”

Seven shakes his head, then pauses. “Maybe they only _want_ us to think there’s nothing amiss.”

MC raises her eyebrows. “Are you saying it’s a conspiracy?”

“I’m not saying it’s _not_ a conspiracy.”

“Ohhh, I gotcha, I gotcha. They hacked the fire alarms. Probably making away with the safe as we speak.”

“Not the safe.”

“Not the safe?”

“They’re making off with the whole building!” he says, and MC jumps, whirling around in an overexaggerated manner to look at their dorm building.

They gasp. “I’m _sure_ it’s further away than it was when I came out here! They _are_ taking the whole building! Come back with it, you villains! You knaves!” They actually shake their fist at the building.

Seven tuts. “We’ve been duped.”

“Tricked.”

“Bamboozled.”

_”Schmeckledorfed,”_ they counter, and Seven laughs.

MC laughs too, and then cocks their head a bit. “Remind me of your name? I know you’re on my floor but I really only know, like, Zen, out of all the guys on the floor. And that’s only because he’s… Zen.”

They don’t say this in a disrespectful way, simply a factual one, and Seven nods in complete agreement. Zen definitely _is_ Zen. “Hey, no problem. I’m… well, everyone calls me Seven, so call me Seven too!”

“Alright, Seven-Two,” MC replies, with a smile that tells him that they know what his name is and they’re messing with him.

He gives himself more points for not ascending into Heaven on the spot and snaps them a finger gun. “Flawless pronunciation.”

They laugh and Seven feels certain things, and ignores those certain things, because they don’t matter. He laughs right along, looking to their roommate then back to them. “I mean, I can’t say I don’t know your name, but that’s only because I,” track everyone on the hacked security cameras in the halls because he’s nosy, “take a special interest in learning names. And languages, for that matter. You’re MC, yeah?”

MC nods, smiling a little sheepishly. “Sorry I couldn’t remember yours. Now I just feel bad that you remembered mine and I couldn’t remember yours, wow.”

Seven waves it off. “Hey, don’t worry about it, no hard feelings. I’m glad you even remembered I’m on your floor, instead of running away screaming because some weird guy off the street just gave you his coat.”

“Well, if I thought it was just some random guy’s coat I would have stolen your wallet already,” they reply, and Seven laughs.

“Joke’s on you, I’m a college student, I don’t have money.” Which, isn’t exactly true. Seven likes to call himself a freelancer. He has a certain undisclosed amount of money, that may or may not be more than most college students may have on their person at one time. But Seven also does not have credit cards, and mostly only carries cash.

MC chuckles and shrugs. “Same, but I still live in hope that one day someone will bestow many dollars on me for no reason.”

“How many dollars?”

“Like. Three. Three dollars.”

“That’s a good amount of dollars.”

“I know, right?” They laugh again and Seven is clued in that he might be approaching some sort of problem here, when he thinks it’s a very nice sound. He’s not entirely sure, however, what that problem is, quite yet.

Jumin would tell him to get more evidence before making any conclusions. Or maybe Jaehee would say that, because Jaehee is basically a robot. A coffee-driven assistant robot.

Well, there’s only one solution! Seven will just have to get more evidence. He will make MC laugh more often, and figure out what the problem is.

Even if he’s not sure what his problem could be with such a nice laugh.

* * *

Four months later and Luciel Choi is _fucked._ Not that he’ll admit that! Yes, best if he just bury that down, down, down. Deep where it can never be found even if it wanted to be! That’s the best way to deal with feelings, after all.

Not that he has _feelings._

But, if he did, hypothetically, have whatever those were, he will need to deal with them in the best way he knows.

Cremation.

By way of fire-spitting robot puppy. (Shut _up,_ Zen, he won’t be giving it to MC as a Valentine’s Day gift.)

(Even though they’d probably like it.)

(... _Damn it._ )


	2. Chapter 2

707: guys yo guys this just in breaking news  
707: zen looks 11/10 when he sleeps like honestly a little disgusting  
Jaehee Kang: Seven, it’s 3 AM.  
ZEN: Yea Seven at least take pics  
707: oh whoops woke the sleeping beauty :>  
ZEN: Babe come back to bed  
MC: I thought I was babe?  
707: **THE NEWBIE SPEAKS!!!**  
MC: lolol yes yes I’m Alive  
ZEN:  Well you know MC you can always join us ;)  
707: asdfghjkl;  
Jaehee Kang: ?!?!?!?!?!  
MC: jfuoeks;;;  
MC: omw  
707: NAughty boy  
ZEN: ;;;Sorry it’s late!!! I take it back!!  
MC: aw  
MC: And here I was already undressed ;~;  
707: efbaodjjfosps  
707: o//////////o  
ZEN: ;;;;;;;;;;  
ZEN: Uh  
ZEN: I mean  
MC: Don’t hurt yourself.  
ZEN: You cna still  
Jaehee Kang: MC, please consider the scandal…  
707: zomg  
707: pray emoji  
ZEN: ;;;Did you just type out pray emoji  
707: It’s a new app, I haven’t added the emoji yet  
707: V wanted the app done as soon as possible ;~;  
MC: But consider: you can always forgo emojis  
707: Blocked.  
MC: No no!  
MC: I mean you don’t need corporate emojis.  
707: listening ear emoji  
MC: Consider this non-corporate, anti-capitalist emoji:  
MC: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
707: **SHIT U RIGHT**  
Jumin Han: **Go to bed.**  
ZEN:  You mentioned capitalism and summoned him;;;  
Jumin Han: ...  
Jumin Han: My phone was buzzing incessantly.  
Yoosung✭: Yeah aren’t I the only one who’s supposed to be up at this time of night?  
Jaehee Kang: True. If you can sleep you should be...  
ZEN: Jaehee, you weren’t asleep?  
707: Yoosung, I assume that you were gaming??  
Jaehee Kang: No… I’m on my fourth cup of coffee...  
Yoosung✭: Yep!  
MC: Too many different conversations happening at once for 3 am;;;  
Jumin Han: **I suggest they all stop so we can sleep.**  
707:  :00 Did we wake Elly?!?!?!  
Jumin Han: **Elizabeth 3rd.**  
Jumin Han:  And yes.  
MC: NO!!!!  
707: My poor Elly… TTT_TTT  
ZEN: Nope I’m leaving if we’re gonna start talking about the cat.  
707: You won’t even let me have pictures in the room I have to be allowed to at least talk about her..,  
ZEN: **No.**  
MC: Poor Seven… come to my room to talk about cats.  
Yoosung✭: !!!!  
Yoosung✭:  Wait MC uou and Secgen??  
MC: ???  
ZEN: Types;;;  
ZEN: *Typos  
707: lolol typos typp  
707: fuck  
MC: lolol  
Yoosung✭: Playign…  
Jaehee Kang: Language...   
MC: #let Seven say fuck  
707: #let me say fuck

Seven wishes that he could say that exchanges like this were abnormal, because that would mean that it’s abnormal that he’s stifling giggles as he exchanges messages with MC in RFA’s new messenger app. V had requested it after having a group message with seven people started to become too unruly, and Seven had thought that it wouldn’t be too bad to include extra security measures and everything, and had essentially digitized RFA’s office. No more unofficially working out of Rika’s old apartment! No, now they can take care of all their business on one app! Seven is pretty proud of it, and MC took to the thing like a fish to water.

Is that an apt description? Seven doesn’t know. Though he _has_ gone fishing before. He wonders if that would impress MC at all? Maybe he’ll ask Zen when the man isn’t groaning and turning over, possibly dying of embarrassment because of MC’s little bit of flirting. And he really should have expected that response, because they’re college students and they’re all horny assholes. So, sucks to suck, Zen.

No, Seven isn’t bitter at all that Zen’s flirting worked.

The trouble is, it’s _not_ abnormal that he is trying not to burst out laughing as he and MC team up in joking around, despite it being 3:18 AM and by all intents and purposes, they should be asleep.

But, well, Seven was awake, Zen was asleep, Seven is bisexual, and he wasn’t lying when he said that Zen looks good. He _did_ forget to take a picture, but he doesn’t mind too much. After all, the entire reason that he was even texting in the app was to get attention. He wasn’t expecting to get MC to actually respond, but, if he’s honest with himself, that’s exactly what he wanted.

Of course, he’s _not_ going to be honest, because just because it’s 3 AM and he’s tired but can’t sleep yet, that doesn’t mean he has to be _honest._ Like, who is that? She doesn’t even _go_ here.

707: MC we’re being oppressed  
707: We must Go  
MC: I mean if you wanna keep talking and these squares can Deal  
Jumin Han: Squares?  
ZEN: lolol  
MC: slide into my dms  
707: >;3c I’ll slide into something that’s for sure  
MC: ;p  
Jaehee Kang: ...  
Jumin Han: ;;;  
707: MC Jesus is watching  
MC: He can join.  
Jumin Han: Can some things stay private?  
MC: bring it u vanilla fucker ur invited too  
MC: Guys rainbow party in my room tonight I’ll be wearing all the lipstick  
Yoosung✭: ???  
Yoosung✭: what s that?  
MC: Hooty hoo…  
707: hahaha  
707: hehehe  
707: hohoho  
MC: Well  
707: It’s a party where you make rainbow lipstick!  
Jumin Han: Just look it up yourself.  
Yoosung✭: He’s prakning me?  
707: Ya  
MC: please tell us your first an d honest reaction.  
Yoosung✭: Okay???  
ZEN: You shouldn’t be offering that in a chatroom full of men!!!  
MC: I know what I’m doing.  
707: 0/////////0  
Yoosung✭: ohv my god  
Yoosung✭: mc!!!!  
MC: Okay I take it back  
MC: That was probably too far?  
MC: Ya it was too far I apologize it’s 3 AM.  
ZEN: It’s alright, MC, we forgive you.  
Jaehee Kang: Yes, it’s fine, I’ve certainly said strange things in this chatroom before.  
707: tbt to the time Jaehee got drunk on box wine and cried about Zen’s abs  
Jaehee Kang: ;;;  
707: and tbt to how Zen joined her.  
MC: Did someone take screenshots of this?  
707: i’ll dm you.  
MC: <3  
707: <3  
Jumin Han: Box wine?  
MC: Do I have to send an external link in the app?  
707: Uh ya probably  
707: Sending a pic would probably break the app rn lolol  
ZEN: Can’t believe the trust fund kid is so ignorant;;  
Jaehee Kang: It’s a wine that has its container as a box rather than a bottle.  
Yoosung✭: Usually it’s cheaper too…  
Jumin Han: Interesting.  
Jumin Han: Of course, I will be sticking with my bottles of wine, when I feel like tasting it.  
ZEN: Literally no one is telling you to drink box wine;;;;;;;;  
707: I should introduce a picture sharing function right????  
707: And personalized emojis!!!!!!!  
ZEN: YES. PLEASE. I need to share my beauty  
ZEN: (selfies, as you all know)  
ZEN: with he world  
Jaehee Kang: Σ(ノ°▽°)ノ  
Jaehee Kang: Please!!  
Yoosung✭: Isn’t wanting that feature just so you can share selfies a little;;  
MC: No! I’m gonna agree with Jaehee on this one!!! More Zen selfies!!! stat!!!!!!!

Seven feels a little bit of… something, roll through him as he reads MC’s message. He was already at his computer, opening up the coding file that would allow him to edit the RFA app, but reading how excited MC is to see Zen’s selfies… somehow, he loses a bit of motivation. Still, Zen sees him open up something computery and squints over at the screen. “Is that the code or whatever for the app? Will you be able to add the picture-sharing or whatever?” he asks.

Seven nods, and then he’s trapped by his friend’s enthusiasm. He can practically _feel_ Zen’s grin as his friend exclaims, “That’s great! That’ll be so good! I mean, I’ll be able to send MC my selfies, and maybe V will share his pictures or something. I mean, as long as Jumin doesn’t send too many pictures of that cat of his, it’ll be a great feature.”

Seven feigns exuberant enthusiasm, that he really wishes were real. “If I get to see Elly on the messenger that’ll just be icing on the cake! Thank you, Zenny, for the motivation! I’ll work even harder now!”

He hears Zen sneeze and mumble something about “how are we friends,” but is already busy looking through the code for a place to start adding a picture-sharing feature. Perhaps he should add a saving feature, too… The extra security of the app could be good. Luciel is well aware that the agency likely can monitor his phone in some way, so he makes sure to take no pictures of his friends, only himself. Which, good for his cosplay, bad for his personal feelings. Maybe, with this app he’ll be able to finally save some pictures of MC, of the rest of the RFA… It’ll be nice, if that’s the case. He finds himself wanting… some kind of physical evidence that, yeah, he does, or did, have friends and he has a sort of family.

Well, at least until he’ll have to delete it when he leaves college and starts working for the Agency in whatever capacity they decide, as whoever they give him as an identity. His heart pangs at the thought, and he looks down at his phone, which has stopped buzzing as it’s announced that Yoosung, Jumin, and Jaehee have left the chatroom with their varying goodbyes. Zen yawns and hums, scrolling through his phone a second or two then looking over to Seven before putting it down. “Don’t work too long. Try to get some sleep. I don’t think you’ve actually touched your bed since Tuesday.”

Seven doesn’t correct him, because he’s probably right, and his phone buzzes to let him know that Zen has exited out of the chat room as well. He opens up to the room again and reads the few goodbyes, before typing out his own words.

707: Are you going to bed too, MC?  
MC: Ya  
MC: Probably should. How about you? Ur not working too hard?  
707: Nah I’m used to it  
707: Anyways it’s fun to work on new stuff for the app! ^^  
707: even tho I’m not getting paid T-T  
MC: Poor Seven…  
MC: Well, keep healthy, okay? At least get a little sleep!

He can almost envision the hearts and eggplant emojis floating across the screen as he reads MC’s words. He knocks his forehead against his keyboard to get rid of some of these damn _feelings,_ and the _ty 666ycvvvggnm,,_ that sprawls across the lines of code is a big mood.

707: Yeah lolol  
707: dw about me! I’ll sleep eventually but thank you for the concern!!!!  
707: And thank you for joining the let Seven say fuck movement  
MC: it’s a worthy cause  
MC: I like how you fuck  
MC: Wait  
707: lololololololololololololololololol  
MC: lolol 3 am srry  
MC: how u SAY fuck there we go lolol  
707: Everyone’s gonna read that in the morning lolol  
707: dw about it I gotchu  
MC: God Seven!!! Thank you for understanding!!!!  
707: uwu

MC immediately disconnects and Seven gets a message that just says “No.” He laughs loud enough to make Zen tell him to shush.

It’s enough of a boost that the next morning, the app has gotten an update and everyone in the RFA has a phone that is blessed with the image of Seven in a maid outfit.

He gets 5 different texts that day with various reactions to said image (ranging from MC sending him lots of tongue emojis to Jaehee just… sending him a text that’s just a bunch of spaces, to convey that she has nothing to say) and spends the rest of the day with a huge smile on his face that he can’t seem to wipe off.

* * *

Valentine’s Day. D-Day, for the entire RFA, Seven knows. Metaphorically, of course. Zen and Yoosung both complain about being alone during, Jumin could care less, and Jaehee is working so hard that Seven thinks she forgets what dates are. V is doing whatever V does, and Seven, hm, well. It’s certainly Valentine’s Day, for him.

It’s an interesting day, because the RFA isn’t doing anything in particular, event-wise. They’re all free—or, what passes for free to Seven and Jaehee, in their personal cases—and Seven finds himself doing something stupid. Maybe he’s just bored because he’s somehow finished seemingly endless piles of work and instead of working through the stuff when it comes in and maybe getting a normal sleeping schedule, he decides to procrastinate and do something.

That something being MC. Spending time with them, that is.

It’s dumb. It’s a matchmaking event that the university is putting on for Valentine’s Day, some pseudo-matchmaking service based on speed dating. Seven knows that it’s probably going to be totally lame, but they’re putting up a “romantic dinner” for any “happy couples” so Seven and MC decided that they’d at least put themselves through it for free food. It’s supposed to be good, romantic French stuff, and considering Seven’s last meal was a… hm.

Well, the last thing he ate was Honey Buddha Chips _obviously_ but like, the last food that was recognizable by its component parts, (an Actual Meal, if you will) he can’t actually remember what that was, so, yeah, maybe he should eat real food, maybe.

He shows up to MC’s dorm door in a white vest that he pairs with a black button-up and red tie, possibly the most dressed up anyone on campus will ever see him. After all, he won’t be meeting with recruiters from jobs or anything, because he already has a job that he’ll die in, and it’s all cool. So semi-ridiculous date attire it is.

MC’s roommate opens the door, and grins when she sees the getup. “MC, you’ll fit in perfectly,” she tells the general room behind her, and Seven feels like lighting up when MC comes out in sweatpants and a tank top.

“My suitor!” they exclaim, and Seven offers out his arm.

“Well, your escort, at least,” he amends, because, he doesn’t really know how to run with the suitor joke. He’s not like Zen, who can come up with courtly love poetry on the spot.

“Are we talking my escort like you’re taking me to the event or escort like a prostitute?”

“Yeah.”

“Fair enough.”

Seven laughs quietly and looks down at their choice of outfit. “I feel underdressed.”

MC laughs, looking him over. “Don’t worry, you still look handsome,” they tease. “Not everyone can spare as much effort as I put in, going to this in my pajamas.”

“Well, as long as I don’t look _too_ ridiculous at the event.”

They talk and laugh all the way past the residence halls and across the street to the event venue. Seven finds himself very, very glad that he’s been building up a friendship with MC over the past four months, because it’s not too long a walk, but he certainly doesn’t feel awkward in any of that span like he tends to whenever someone who isn’t his friend already talks to him for any semi-extended period of time. His jokes are understood and laughed at, and the fact that MC doesn’t even drop his arm is just an added bonus.

They get to the door and are admitted to fill out a quick survey that basically asks their name and what gender they are (boy, girl, neither) and what gender they’d like to be paired with (MC circles all options, Seven just writes “ya” over his and turns it in) and then are invited to have some light refreshments while the club coordinating the event makes the matches. Seven and MC both eat about ten chocolate chip cookies each, before they’re directed to sit at their first speed-date.

Seven goes through mostly women, because apparently straight people exist? Still, it’s awkward. He tries to make jokes and just gets either looks that border on pitying or half-baked laughs that don’t feel sincere whatsoever, and Seven is counting down the number of speed dates he has to go on before he gets food. That is, until he and MC are paired up.

He speaks first, large grin on his face. “Well, howdy, stranger. You can call me Seven.”

MC laughs, and rolls with it. “Well, you can call me MC… or you can call me anytime.” They shoot him two finger guns and Seven moves to get his phone. They look confused for a second, before their phone starts ringing.

They’re giggling when they accept his call, and ask sweetly, “Hellooooo?”

“Hello, this is the Seven Zero Seven Dating Service Hotline. Please press one to speak to one of our representatives, or hang up,” Seven tells them.

They don’t hang up, and mime (or maybe they actually do it) pressing at the keypad, so Seven says, “Connecting you with a representative. Please hold. Ding, ding, dong, diddly-doo, do do dah, elevator music, ding ding, dah dah dah. Hello, this is Seven Zero Seven, how may I help you?”

“God Seven! Please help me find a date! It’s Valentine’s Day! Do you do miracles?”

“Of course! What kind of miracle do you need? We have three options—romantic, sexy, and friendly, for when you don't _actually_ feel like spilling your soul to someone you met just that day, you just feel lonely and realize that our society over-romanticizes romantic relationships.”

“Damn. Catch me with some of that friend shit.”

They’ve both started to lean over the table a bit, still on their phones but this way Seven gets to admire MC as they listen to him, grinning, as he talks to them, phone still to both of their ears. The phones stay like this until the bell for the next date rings, even though Seven’s eyes hardly wander far from MC’s, and his grin doesn’t waver as they roleplay their little ‘dating service’ call thing. He’s startled by the bell, startled out of sensually describing how he was gonna sit down with MC on the couch, subtly trail his hand up their arm… then steal the remote and change the channel to something that will be showing cat shows. “Maybe if we’re feeling _really_ nasty I’ll indulge you in my long, long… Netflix queue,” he’s saying, and MC is covering their mouth to prevent themselves from laughing out loud.

They both look a little disappointed and Seven says, “I suppose that was the signal to put this fantasy to an end. Were you satisfied with your service?”

“Of course! God Seven, I love your voice! And maybe it doesn’t have to be just a fantasy…”

“What do you mean? I am only a voice on the other end of the line…”

“Yes, but that voice is connected to a long, long Netflix queue,” MC says, getting up as Seven’s next date approaches the table, “and you have my number, don’t you? Call me.”

With that, they hang up, and Seven feels a little breathless. He stares after their retreating form and forgets to listen to his next date introducing himself.

* * *

At the end of the speed dates, Seven is given a form to choose the names of his first three choices to have dinner with. Feeling a bit like he’s cheating, he puts MC on his list first, and picks randomly from his other options for the last two. Apparently, MC put him on their list too, because they actually get paired together for the dinner.

The two of them spend the next hour laughing over real food and lamenting that French cuisine doesn’t include Honey Buddha Chips _or_ PhD Pepper. Still, it’s not bad, and the company makes it even better. Seven escorts MC back to their room, and actually crawls into his _bed_ that night, six hours before he usually does, and buries his face in his pillow because reasons.

“How’d your date with MC go?” Zen asks, looking up from marking up his newest script.

“It wasn’t a date,” Seven says, publicly.

Privately, though, he thinks it was the best one he’s ever had.


End file.
